Lady foot pry bar

[bratwurst]

Do you guys use them a lot, and what size?
I have a 20”snap on and I think I never really used it!!!

 

[Chilliwack Murray]

One of the most used tools I have but unless they are good quality like a snap on they aren’t worth your time.

You can hammer them into a small gap and get it started for a bigger bar, line up holes, pry and lift out parts from narrow openings. Excellent for guiding differentials and other large components into place.

 

[bratwurst]

One of the most used tools I have but unless they are good quality like a snap on they aren’t worth your time.

You can hammer them into a small gap and get it started for a bigger bar, line up holes, pry and lift out parts from narrow openings. Excellent for guiding differentials and other large components into place.

I’ve seen a few cheap HF ones bend before

 

[plinker]

I've got a Sunex set, had it quite a while. Not as good as the Snap-on, but does ok. Main use is as a line up tool or to "pin" something in place until a new bolt is ready.

They can work to remove some seals or do similar things, that is where the Snap-on's are better as the hook shape is forged/finished better. I have seen a couple Snap-on's bent as well.

 

[sk farmer]

i have otc that are chrome and forged shape to the head. very nice bars.

i also have some bent hex type. mayhew, enderes and baltimore maybe. they work as well and are a little more dainty.

all of them are slightly different. it's good to have options.

i also have some import ones. they will bend if you look at them wrong.

 

[Skin]

Only the other end as an alignment bar. They make decent seal removers if you don't have any other tools. For what its worth the Williams ones are identical to Snap-on at about 1/3 the cost. Its one thing I prefer Snap-on/Williams for over other brands (most everyone rebadges Mayhew) as they taper the bar in a much more gradual manner.

 

[bobcatdan]

I use them pretty often. Enough that I have enough sets for each of my four tool sets.

 

[nelstomlinson]

I've used two ladyfoot bars in place of a puller many times. They'll reach down into a hole to pry something up. When you need one or two, nothing else will do.

 

[Tallpilot]

Interesting question. Like most multiple purpose tools it isn't quite as good as purpose built tools. It seems like an indexing pry bar has more uses than the lady foot end and a proper set of alignment bars would be more useful for levering components into position.

Thoughts?

 

[plinker]

Interesting question. Like most multiple purpose tools it isn't quite as good as purpose built tools. It seems like an indexing pry bar has more uses than the lady foot end and a proper set of alignment bars would be more useful for levering components into position.

Thoughts?

Indexing bars are a more recent development, but yes they're more useful for that sort of prying in general (provided they fit the in recess assuming there is one, also good seal pullers).

The foot on the rolling head bar can also act as a stop of sorts (so it dont fall through the hole you're lining up) which an alignment style punch doesnt have. Usefulness depends on situation.

Depending on what you want/need, you really cant have too many bars & striking type tools IME.

 

[WittHay]

My main set are Protos, I think they call them rolling head prybars. Also have a couple of smaller Snap-on. The round shape is sometimes more useful than the hex alignment bars. OTC Jimmy bars are also good, round with a alignment bar type head. Like others have mentioned you can never have enough bars in different shapes and sizes.

I have always uses the smaller Snap-ons for pulling injectors on some diesel motors. They work good in cramped quarters. Couple of pictures of injectors, there is a notch where the tip of the lady foot catches and you pry up

 

[RedneckWelder]

Good ones are cheap enough to avoid the temptation of the cheap ones.

I find them very useful. They get into places the indexing ones won’t (but those are also useful in their own right).

Rolling heads, Jimmy bars, standard prybars, indexible prybars, railroad bars all have their place in the heavy equipment world.

 

[2ndGearRubber]

Mine are proto and sunex. Theryre mainly used for lining up control arm bushings.

 

[Snaparxon]

I use the Blue Point (Mayhew) hex aligning bars more so than the lady foot style. The Snap on lady foot bars have a more gradual radius than the Mac lady foot bars I have.

I also have the Blue Point die setter bars 18" and 30" also which are really useful,especially the 30" one.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001YUJP88/?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[humpty]

I have the OTC set as well, I used it a ton working on a passivation line at my last place, the chrome is now all gone and it is a black passivated finish now.

Back in the day I was installing a big Swedtool lathe at SPX and I was allowed to buy some factory seconds from the OTC factory store, the prybar set was what I grabbed.
Wasn't long after that SPX left MN.

The pry bars definitely have their place and I still use them.

humpty

 

[Old Man Roger]

Thats one of those tools that when you really need it, no other tool will work.

 

[Robbie B]

We’ve got a 4’ one at work that I’m pretty certain Noah had on the Ark. No idea who made it but it is about the handiest thing to have in a plant. We use it all the time when installing and leveling moderately sized motors and opening up pipe flange gaps so we can get gaskets one them.


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[unslow1]

I've never heard of the term lady foot pry bar. That must be a regional thing. I do have a couple of sets. I always heard them called round or alignment pry bars.

 

[Alpine4x4]

I need a set myself. Guy at my work uses them to check wheel bearings and stuff. Jacks up the tire so the head barely gets under the tire then starts wiggling it while peaking around at the balljoints, tie-rods, etc. Provides enough movement to see compromised joints or a loose wheel bearing.

 

[Chilliwack Murray]

Thats one of those tools that when you really need it, no other tool will work.

That’s spot on.

 

[1982fxr]

I've never heard of the term lady foot pry bar. That must be a regional thing. I do have a couple of sets. I always heard them called round or alignment pry bars.

Until recently I thought the actual name was lady finger prybar. Seriously.

I can't imagine that a company or catalog ever published that term for them but I really thought that was the legitimate name.

 

[bratwurst]

Lol same here, for the longest I thought they are called lady finger.

 

[2oolhound]

I've used two ladyfoot bars in place of a puller many times. They'll reach down into a hole to pry something up. When you need one or two, nothing else will do.

I don't use them often but have full sets. Just pulled a sprocket off a few days ago with 2 of them. I must have at least 20 pry bars in total and each of them is indispensable.

 

[ZRX61]

I've had a 4 piece set from Horrible Fright for years. Never managed to damage one... so far. I did dress them a bit on my fiber deburring wheel.

 

[Chilliwack Murray]

30 years ago in tradeschool they called them lady foot pry bars but since then I’ve always referred to and heard them referred to as heel bars

Just broke a 20” one I inherited from my dad. Must be 60-70 years old which kinda *****.

I have several small ones 6 - 10” that I’ve ground left or right curves into that have literally pulled hundreds of seals where a seal pulled wouldn’t reach or the seal puller mangled the seal to the point there was nothing left for it to grab.

Also use them for “pinning” lifting chains in the engine hoist, forklift fork etc. Much faster than a bolt and you really only smash your head a couple times before you learn. Like walking under cars on a lift.

Like someone else said, when you really need one, nothing else will get the job done.

 

[Doughnuts]

Used to use them all the time to line up frames in ford taurus when I was putting the trans back in. But not as often im not a full time mechanic anymore but like others have said when you need one, you really need one. I just got my son a set of mayhew theyre supposed to be pro grade and every bit as good as the tool truck mac set i have

 

[Old Man Roger]

Until recently I thought the actual name was lady finger prybar. Seriously.

I can't imagine that a company or catalog ever published that term for them but I really thought that was the legitimate name.

Lol same here, for the longest I thought they are called lady finger.

I've heard people call the pointy end the lady finger.

 

[Radio Flyer]

I've heard people call the pointy end the lady finger.

Lol same here, for the longest I thought they are called lady finger.

I always have referred to them as lady fingers.

And always joked that I never knew a lady with fingers like that.

 

[1 Tooth Ratchet]

I've got a cheap set a work that are basically new because I never use them.

 

[Bighead38]

Had to use the little one today when changing a pick up coil in the corvette. Made me think of this thread.

 

[lardy1]

I have a budget brand. They work but I'm sure they aren't as strong as the better brands. They rarely come out but they do fill a vital need at times. I'm glad I have them.

 

[seber]

I've had one in my prybar collection for 30 years. Never once have I used it. Alignment pins are more appropriate. and for prying, There is always a more specific tool.

 

[HenryAZ]

I have a 12" and 16" I keep in the garage workshop. They do come in quite handy on occasion, often enough to keep them around. I just picked up a 6" to use on the inside workbench (smaller projects). I have needed some sort of pry bar there many times, but just made to with a screwdriver or whatever else worked.

 

[Bogie1632]

Lots of names for these handy pry bars. I've always called them roll or rolling head pry bars (but I've heard the other names too). SK and a couple other companies list them that way as well.

Whatever someone calls them they are a super handy tool.

V/R
Bogie

 

[Mr_B]

I have a 4pc unbranded set that done almost 30 years professionally.
super useful and low cost.
have some mayhew ones with different style foot, just a 90 bend , work nice for seals but the mayhew I got bend easily .

 

[marineman]

I have the snapon ladyfoot set and use them all the time for pulling wheel seals on trucks. For alignment I tend to use the back end of a spud wrench because its more comfortable to hold

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[Verg]

Own the sunex and snap on sets. Interestingly the 20” is my least used, with the 6” and 16” used a lot.


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[The Fall]

Used them regularly. They worked the best when turning the flex plate to get torque converter bolts out. Ours at the shop said "Snap-on" on it. You're going to need a few -- it's not one size fits all with these.

 

[The Fall]

I'll add that no other tool can replace these when they're needed.

 

[ex-x-fire]

I have the basic 4 pc set at work, the big one pops axles seals out easy. A long pry bar takes much more effort and cussing.